Pipe fitting



Feb. 27, 1940. c. G. NEWTON PIPE FITTING Filed Sept. 20, 1957 Q 3 MN f/A/ IItQ'IiI.

Coaezzmvo G A/Zrwrozv.

Patented Feb. 27, 1940 PIPE FITTING Courtland G. Newton, Chicago, 111., assignor to Horace S. Kehm' Application September 20; 1937, Serial No. 164,662

2 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to' a pipe fitting and is more particularly concerned with a novel construction in a fitting of the type used in fluid heat transfer systems, either heating or cooling, for the .purpose of stratifying the fiow of the system fluid.

In the past, fittings for this general purpose have been utilized in connection with heating and cooling systems employing a single looped main, wherein each radiator or cooler is connected to the main by supply and return risers. The fittings placed respectively at the supply and return risers for the purpose of automatically shunting a portion of the fluid in the'main through the radiators or coolers, have been of different internal construction to individually function as supply and return fittings.

The supply fitting was so arranged that fiuid entering the supply riser of the radiator or cooler was taken from the upper part of the main in the case of heating systems and from the lower part of the main in the case of cooling systems. At the return fitting, the fiuid which was shunted past the radiator of a heating system was carried to the top of the main and the fluid returning from the radiator was returned to the bottom of the main. Inthe case of a cooling system, the "return fitting operated to direct the shunt fluid to the bottom of the main and the heated fluid from the cooler to the top of the main.

While the fittings heretofore supplied worked very satisfactorily, they were expensive to manufacture in that the different internal constructions of the supply and return" fittings required separate molds and separate machining for the respective fittings.

The present invention contemplates an improved fitting construction wherein both the supply and return" fittings embody identical elements. In the present instance, however, these elements are so arranged that they may be assembled in different relation to produce a supply" or return fitting, as desired, at the factory, thus materially decreasing the cost of manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved pipe fitting construction which utilizes an insert which may be initially selectively disposed in different positions, depending upon whether 'the fitting is to form a return or supply fitting, and thereafter securing the insert in selected position.

A further object of the invention is to provide, as an article of manufacture, an improved insert for use with fittings of the type described.

Other objects and features of the invention will more readily appear fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a single embodiment thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a fitting embodying the features of the present invention, showing the internal arrangement of parts whereby the fitting is adapted for use as a return" fitting of a looped heating system;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the interior arrangement of parts to adapt the fitting for use as a supply" fitting of a heating system;

Figure 3 is an end view of the fitting, looking toward the right end of the fitting shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a similar view looking toward the right end of the fitting shown in Figure 2.

As shown on the drawing:

The fitting of the present invention comprises a shell-like body portion In which may be constructed of brass, cast iron or other suitable material which may be cast or otherwise formed to define a main longitudinally extending passageway II. The main passageway is terminated at its ends to form main opposed openings l2 and I3, these openings being threaded, if desired, for connection to inlet and outlet pipes as shown at M and I5 which may constitute sections of a looped heating or cooling system. Intermediate the opposed openings and surrounding the main passageway II is an intermediate chamber it of slightly greater diameter than the main passageway. This chamber has communicating therewith a branch opening II, which may be disposed laterally at an angle to the main passageway and may be likewise threaded for connection to a branch pipe as indicated at I8.

It will be noted that the intermediate chamber i6 is disposed in eccentric relation to the center line of the main passageway II so that a greater portion of the chamber will be disposed at the portion thereof lying adjacent the branch pipe connection.

Regardless of whether the pipe fitting body is to be utilized to form a supply or return" fitting, the fitting body is of the same construction in either case.

At the juncture of the connection openings 12 and I3 respectively with the intermediate chamber l6, there is provided annular shoulders l9 and 20, the latter shoulder preferably being of slightly less width than the former.

Both the return and supply fittings make use of an insert member 2|, which is arranged to be selectively disposed within the fitting body in different positions, depending upon whether the ultimate fitting is to be, used as a supply or return fitting.

This insert is preferably of a metallic material which may be easily worked. In general this as shown at 22 being of greater diameter than the other opening which is shown at 23.

The end openings 22 and 23 of the insert are disposed in eccentric relation and have their peripheries common to a longitudinally extending element of the insertwhich is disposed in rightangled relation to the respective planes of the end openings.

Between the ends of the insert the wall on one side of the insert is tapered as shown at 24 to take care of .the difference in size between the ends of the insert. V

In assembling the fitting, the large end 22 of the insert is disposed in surface engagement, with the shoulder l9, whereas the opposite end of the insert is disposed so that a portion of its circumference will abut the shoulder 20. Since the end 23 of the insert is of less diameter than the internal diameter of the shoulder 20, it will be apparent that a crescent shaped passageway will be formed around this end of theinsert into the intermediate chamber.

The exterior diameter of the large end 22 of the insert is such that this end will snugly -fit against the shoulder I9, but the fit is not so tight :as to prevent rotation ofthe insert. The insert is initially disposed in the position shown within the housing and is rotated either to the position shown in Figure 1 to form a return fitting or the position shown in Figure 2 to form a supply fitting. The insert is then secured against removal by expanding the large end 22 thereof so that it forcibly engages the associated shoulder.

In the return fitting arrangement, it will be noted that the small end 23 of the insert is disposed toward the branch connection i8 and that ,direct communication between the branch opening and the opening i3 is prevented at the top of the intermediate chamber. Fluid flowing from the branch connection l8 as shown by the arrow must pass to the bottom portion of the intermediate chamber where it may enter the pipe i 5 through the crescent-shaped opening defined by the end 23 of the insert and the adjacent shoulder 2|], and since the fiuidreturning from the branch opening, in the case of a heating system would be cooled to a temperature less than that which continues through the insert, the return fluid from the branch opening will be injected or directed to the bottom of the pipe l5, this ',be-

ing the normal position which the fluid would assume due to it's cooler temperature.

In the case of the supply fitting, the operative position of the insert, for use in a heating system, would be as shown in Figure 2. In this case the small end of the insert is at the portion of the intermediate chamber which is disposed on the opposite side of the branch opening. In this position, direct communication is established through a similarly formed crescent-shaped opening from the upper portion of main opening l3 to the intermediate chamber so that the hottest portion of the fluid passing through an inlet pipe 25 would pass into the branch connection, and the coolest portion of the fluid would continue straight through the insert into the shunt or outlet pipe M. The crescent-shapedopening in the return fitting, it will be noted, is oppositely disposed to the crescent-shaped opening in the supply fitting.

It will be readily apparent that these fittings may with equal facility be utilizedin a cooling.

system in which case the fitting as shown in Figure 1 becomes a supply fitting and the flow o1,fiuid therethrough is reversed; and likewise,

comes a return fitting, when the flow of fiuid therethrough is reversed-I From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that this invention provides a novel construction of pipe fitting which may be utilized in connection with either a heating or cooling system to eflect stratification of the circulatory fluid;

, the fitting arrangement shown in Figure 2 bewhich utilizes the same parts irrespective of whether the fitting is to be for a supply" or return connection; in which the parts are selectively capable of being positioned and secured in the selected position, depending upon whether or not the ultimate fitting is to be for a "return" or supply connection; and which utilizes a novel insert construction.

Now, it is of-course to be understood that although I have described in detail a single embodiment ofmy invention, the invention is not to be thus limited but only insofar as defined shoulder for frictionally maintaining the insert against rotational movement, and a contracted portion formed in the insert at its opposite end, said contracted portion extending toward the other main opening and being disposed in eccentric relation to its axis.

2. A pipe fitting having parts arranged to be assembled in difi'erent'relation to form supply and return fittings for use in heating and cooling systems of the type where the circulatory I fluid is maintained stratified; said fitting comprising a. body structure having opposed axially aligned main openings and a branch opening, said openings being arranged for receiving pipe connections to said body, an intermediate chamher in said body in communication with said openings, annular spaced apart shoulders in said chamber respectively disposed adjacent the main openings and axially aligned therewith, a separate tubular insert within said body, one end of the insert being initially supported for rotational movement by one of said shoulders, the other end of the insert being radially ofiset rel.- ative to the first end and having a portion of its periphery in abutment with the other of said shoulders, whereby the tubular insert may be rotated to initially vary the offset direction, said rotatably supported end being capable of expansion into pressure engagement with its associated shoulder to fixedly secure the insert in the selected initial position. 

